Selling or transferring an old smartphone is a demanding procedure that requires careful preparation to keep your personal files out of the wrong hands. Many users mistakenly believe that a simple reset is not enough to fully protect confidential information. In fact, modern data recovery techniques allow you to retrieve deleted information even after a standard cleanup, unless additional security measures are taken.
In this article, we will discuss how to completely remove all data from a Xiaomi phone using the built-in tools of the MIUI and HyperOS operating system, as well as additional encryption methods. You will learn about the nuances of delinking your Mi Account and Google account, without which the new owner can face locking the device. The correct sequence of actions ensures that your photos, correspondence and passwords of banking applications will be destroyed irrevocably.
Before we start taking drastic measures, we need to review the contents of the device and make sure that all important files are stored in the cloud or on an external medium. The process is irreversible, and it will be impossible to return deleted information after the final stage even with specialized software. Let's prepare your Xiaomi for safe transfer to a new owner.
Preparation of the device and creation of a backup copy
The first and most critical step is to create a full backup of data, as the entire internal drive will be affected during the cleaning process. Xiaomi smartphone owners have access to a powerful built-in backup tool that allows you to save not only contacts and messages, but also home screen layout, system settings and application data. It is recommended to connect the device to a stable Wi-Fi network, as the amount of data transferred can be significant.
To create a local copy, go to Settings → About Phone → Backup. Here you can select data categories to save. Please note that photos and videos are better duplicated separately through Google Photos or Google Drive so as not to overload the system backup. Once the process is complete, the backup file will be saved in the MIUI/backup/AllBackup folder, which you need to copy to your computer or external drive.
☑️ Checklist before reset
Special attention should be paid to the data of messengers such as WhatsApp and Telegram. These applications often store the history of correspondence in a local database, which does not always fall into the common system backup. Inside the settings of each messenger, find the option “Backup” and save to Google Drive, which will provide the ability to restore dialogs after re-authorization on any device.
Account unblocking and protection against blocking
Xiaomi’s current smartphones are equipped with a serious theft protection system known as Find Device. If you reset your settings without first logging out of your Mi Account and Google account, the device will go into activation lock mode, and the new owner will not be able to use the phone until you enter your account password, which will create an extremely awkward situation when selling.
⚠️ Warning: Ignoring logging out before reset will lock the device with the serial number (IMEI). Unblocking is possible only through contacting the support service with a check about the purchase, which is practically impossible for the buyer.
To avoid problems, open your settings and go to the Mi Account section. Click on the “Get Out” button and confirm the action by entering a password. A similar procedure must be repeated for a Google account: go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google, select your address and click “Delete Account.” Only after deleting the accounts, the system will no longer consider the device to be associated with you.
Also remember to disable Device Search in Google’s security settings.This action will break the connection between the phone and security servers, allowing the new user to configure the gadget as new.If you use third-party antivirus or remote management apps (like TeamViewer or Kaspersky), they also need to be removed or deactivated so they don’t ask for a password the next time they turn on.
What to do if you forget your Mi Account password?
Methods of complete data deletion on Xiaomi
Once you've prepared and unloaded your accounts, you can actually delete the information. There are several ways to do this in the Xiaomi ecosystem, each with its own specific features, and the method you choose depends on how deep you want to clean the device and whether you have access to the settings menu.
The most common and safe method is to use the standard factory reset menu. To do this, go to Settings → About Phone → Reset. The system will offer two options: Reset (saves files) and Erase all data. We are interested in the second option. When you select "Erase all data", the system will warn you that the operation is irreversible. Make sure that the battery is at least 30% so that the process does not interrupt.
- 📱 Standard Reset: Deletes user data but leaves the file system structure.
- 🔒 Cleansing: additionally overwrites the free space, making recovery more difficult (not available on all versions) MIUI).
- ⚙️ Recovery Mode: Deep reset via the engineering menu used for system boot issues.
If the settings menu is unavailable due to system errors, you can use Recovery mode. Turn off the phone completely, then press the power and volume buttons at the same time. In the menu that appears, select a language (English or Chinese), then go to Wipe Data → Wipe All Data. Confirm the action and the phone will be cleaned. This method is guaranteed to delete all sections of user data, including cache and temporary files.
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Before the final reset, turn on the device’s encryption feature if it’s not already active (in modern Xiaomi it’s on by default).This will turn your data into an unreadable character set that can’t be restored without the encryption key that’s destroyed when reset.
Use of Recovery Mode and Fastboot
Recovery mode is a lower-level tool than resetting through settings, which allows you to clear memory areas that may remain affected even after a standard procedure, especially if you sell the device to someone who is technically versed, or if the phone has previously been used to store highly sensitive information.
To enter Recovery mode on the device turned off, press the power button and the volume button. After the Mi logo appears, release the power button, but keep the volume. In the menu, the navigation is done with the volume buttons, and the choice is with the power button. Select Wipe Data, then Wipe All Data. The system will request confirmation several times, since this action is critical.
| Resetting method | Depth of cleaning | Difficulty in recovery | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Settings. | Standard. | Low (special software) | Transfer of relatives |
| Recovery Mode | Deep. | Medium | Secondary market sale |
| Fastboot + Teams | Maximum | Practically impossible. | Corporate security |
There is also a Fastboot mode, which is commonly used to flash the device, which is entered by pressing the power button and reducing the volume. Although you can complete partition cleaning commands through Fastboot, for the average user this is redundant and risky, since an error in the commands can lead to the inability to boot the system.
Additional security measures: overwriting of data
Even after resetting, it is theoretically possible to recover deleted files with expensive hardware used by intelligence agencies or digital forensics specialists. To make data recovery 100% impossible for anyone who is not an intelligence agent with a budget of thousands of dollars, it is recommended to perform a data wiping procedure.
The idea is to fill the freed space with useless information: After the first reset, turn on your phone, go through the initial setup (without logging in to accounts), and fill the internal memory with junk data, which can be large video files, downloaded movies or special shredder applications from the Play Market store, such as iShredder or Secure Eraser.
Once you fill your device’s memory to the point of failure (leaving 100-200 MB free to run the system), reset it to factory settings, in the process, the new data will rewrite the memory sectors where your personal information was previously located. Since magnetic and flash drives do not store the history of overwriting, it will be physically impossible to recover the original data, a step that is especially important if you dispose of the phone or transfer it to an unknown person.
⚠️ Attention: The process of completely overwriting data takes a considerable amount of time and can heat the device very much.
For most users, one high-quality reset with pre-encryption, which is the default on all modern Xiaomi Android 6.0 and higher, is enough.The encryption key is stored in a protected memory area and removed when reset, making the remaining data tails unreadable garbage.
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Modern Xiaomi smartphones use file system encryption by default, which means that once the settings are reset, the encryption keys are destroyed, and data recovery becomes mathematically impossible without the key, even if there is physical access to the memory chip.
Final inspection and preparation for transfer
After all the cleaning procedures, the device should reboot and suggest that you choose the interface language, as you first turn it on out of the box. This is the main indicator of a successful reset. Don't set the phone up completely: don't connect Wi-Fi, don't log in to accounts, don't install apps. Your job is to make sure that old information is gone, not to prepare the gadget for use.
Only go through the initial welcome screens until you select the language and connect to the network. If the phone requests a password from a previous Google or Mi Account account, you missed the detachment step (see section 2), then you need to go back and repeat the logout procedure if you have access, or restore access through support.
- 🔋 Battery charge: Leave charge at level 50-60%, The new owner can check the device immediately.
- 🧼 Hygiene: Wipe the body and screen with an antimicrobial wipe, remove fingerprints.
- 📦 Complete: Check for original cable, power supply and box if they are provided for by the transaction.
Extract. SIM-microSD card and memory card, unless you plan to give them away with your phone. Often users forget about the memory card, which can be backed up photos or documents. It is best to format the memory card separately on the computer before selling or give a new one.
Now your Xiaomi is fully ready to transfer, and by following these steps, you guarantee the security of your personal data and save the buyer from potential activation problems. Net selling is the key to good reputation and positive reviews, which is especially important when trading on ad platforms.